Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp claims that Chelsea have had the most luck in the Premier League title race.
A six-point gap has opened up between Antonio Conte’s side and the Reds as they head into their run of current fixtures over the festive period.
Klopp will welcome Stoke City to Anfield on Tuesday evening without the services of Philppe Coutinho, who is recovering from an ankle injury.
The German has also been forced to contend with regular absences from first-choice striker Daniel Sturridge after he endured a series of injury setbacks.
And Klopp believes that Chelsea have been afforded a greater fortune in maintaining the fitness of their own influential pair Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
“There is no perfect system in world football, but when they go on like this they are the deserved champions, nobody could have a doubt about this,” he told Sky Sports News.
“I am pretty sure that until now Chelsea are maybe the team that have had the most luck with injuries.
“We lost Phil [Coutinho] and Daniel [Sturridge] and Danny Ings in difficult moments when you really could use them.
“If it’s Hazard and Costa at Chelsea, is it the same afterwards?”